


Chances of Forever - Timestamp for Yours

by MashiarasDream



Series: Yours!verse [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Alpha!Balthazar, Alpha!Sam, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of sex work, Omega!Gabriel, a sprinkle of smut, a/b/o dynamics, alpha!cas, discussions of mpreg and infertility, established relationships - Freeform, mentions of sexual abuse, omega!dean, suicidal thoughts (not Dean or Cas)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 03:50:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3963325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MashiarasDream/pseuds/MashiarasDream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Balthazar and Gabriel finally come to visit. Between Bal and Cas butting heads, Gabe being at a painful crossroads in his life, and Dean dealing with the ups and downs of being a mated Omega, it’s about as much of a rollercoaster as can be expected. </p>
<p>You can probably read this as a stand-alone as long as you know that Cas is pack-Alpha and Gabriel his estranged brother. But I'd recommend reading the whole series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chances of Forever - Timestamp for Yours

**Author's Note:**

> Of course after the first timestamp, I wanted to know what happens when Cas and Gabe finally meet again after all these years. Turns out, it’s complicated. Also turns out that Gabe’s got more pain hidden away than I thought. So he’s probably a little less obnoxious and more broken than on the show (where we didn’t get a look behind his façade all that much), while Balthazar is a bit more obnoxious. I hope it still works for you. It did for me. 
> 
> PS: Special thanks to my hubby who betaed this even though between smut and mpreg he was really leery to touch this story. 
> 
> PPS: Be safe. Take care of yourself. Always keep fighting.

**_Prologue – 4 years ago_ **

He had thought about a motel room, the perspective of a night in an actual bed tempting, but in the end had decided against it. Their funds were so limited. So they had bought sandwiches and then he had sent Sammy to sleep for a few hours in the back of the Impala. It was impossible to sleep in the car at the same time so they took turns. When Dean slept, Sam was supposed to stay close, either in the car or next to it. He did, usually, rereading one of the books that he had taken with him when they left. Dean was more restless than that, though, and reading had never been his thing. Not where his brother could see and make fun of him anyway.

It was dangerous for both of them, being off on their own. The half-grown Alpha and the barely legal Omega. It sounded so absurd it might as well be the plot of some dumbass melodrama. But it wasn’t and things wouldn’t just magically turn out well for them. So he had to find a long-term place for them to stay. No city, he was sure of that. A small town or village then. A reasonably friendly pack that would let them stay on the fringes of their society and not bother them too much as long as they didn’t bother them. If he could get the money for a small apartment and basic utilities, Sam could enroll in some online class and graduate that way. He was smart. He liked reading. He’d make it.

But it all hinged on Dean finding a place for them. And work to support them. Preferably work that didn’t include selling his body. He wondered darkly how long it would take before he considered that option. The fact that his thoughts immediately went on to ‘and how the fuck will I keep this from the authorities because there’s no way in hell they’ll let an omega whore raise an Alpha’ showed him that it was probably not as far from his mind as he’d like.

God, Dean was tired of the Impala. He didn’t think that could ever happen, but obviously it could. So he left Sam to sleep and made his way into the Roadhouse, found himself a table in a corner where he’d go mostly unnoticed, and ordered a root beer.

The other patrons looked like what he’d expected. Gruff truckers, exhausted salesmen, a few natives. Some of them were drinking quietly, others discussing sales, a few were laughing animatedly. What there didn’t seem to be was a string of people filing towards the backrooms. That was good. He had learned that backrooms were to be avoided. Sometimes it was illegal trading, sometimes gambling, but most often, there were brothels attached to the roadhouses. He guessed that the packs saw it prudent to keep their dirty business out of the main town. But it sucked because the restrooms were always too close to the backrooms. He’d figured out quickly that if there was johns nearby, he better ask Sam to accompany him when he needed to take a leak.

He shuddered. His thoughts revolved entirely too much around this topic today. Was he really this desperate already? Desperate enough that he thought this a viable alternative to living with his dad? No, he decided, he wasn’t that desperate yet. But yes, it was a viable alternative. As long as he could provide for Sam and Sam would live without bruises and broken bones and fear, it didn’t matter if Dean couldn’t do the same.

But for now, there were other ways to get short-term funds. He focused his attention on the pool tables to get a feeling for the crowd playing there. Hustling pool was a good way to get quick money. A way he’d perfected for years. A way where it for once helped that he was pretty and had a nice ass and could play the ‘naive Omega on an exciting adventure’ - routine really well. People always underestimated his skills. But in the city, he’d had Benny. The burly Beta had stayed close and had intervened at the first sign of trouble. In return, Dean had split his profits with Benny and they had both been better off for it. Here, he had no one to guard his back. And if he wasn’t going to sell his body, he sure as hell wasn’t going to subject it to a grudge-fuck from a pissed off trucker.

God, he was tired. He was tired of hustling pool, he was tired of having to judge every single interaction by the standard of would it get him raped or would it get his brother sent back to their father. He was tired of all of this.

“What are you doing here, boy?”

Apparently, he was so tired that he’d dozed off. “Sorry, Ma’am, I’ll be going.”

But the stern looking blonde caught his arm. “Show me your ID.”

He ripped his sleeve out of her grasp. She was a woman and a Beta but getting grabbed still sent his heartrate up a notch.

“I’m Ellen Harvelle. I’m the town official. For all intents and purposes, you’re under my jurisdiction here. So show me your ID, kid.”

There was no lie in her scent, just sternness and authority. He sighed. Great. More trouble. Just what the day needed. He dug for his wallet. “Not a kid. I’m 18.” He handed her the ID.

She looked at it carefully. “That Impala yours - Dean?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he replied quietly, because shit, that didn’t bode well. He hoped that she had just looked at the car from afar. Otherwise, he’d need to get his ID back and find a way to ditch this chick and this town really fast. God, he wished he’d been able to catch up on some sleep already. Maybe then he could talk his way out of this.

“Because my daughter came by earlier and she told me this peculiar bit of information that there is a teenager sleeping in a car in the motel parking lot.”

Okay, there went the hope that they hadn’t noticed. “Umm, yeah, that’s my brother. And it’s just for the night, Ma’am.” He tried his best to convince himself of it in the hopes that it would make his scent convincing.

“Right,” her voice was dripping with disbelief.

Alright, no luck then. Just like the rest of his life.

“You’re a long way from home, Dean,” Ellen said with a nod at the address on his ID before handing the card back to him. He pocketed it quickly. One step closer to a fast exit.

“That address ain’t home.”

She judged him silently for a moment. “Where is home then?”

Tired, so tired of lying. So he told her the truth. “The Impala, for now. Until we find a place.”

She’d ordered another root beer for him then and made him tell the whole story. By the end of the night, she had set them up in the motel. And by the end of the week, Sam was in school and Dean working at the garage, earning their keep.

…

**_Now_ **

It’s been a long time since that night but the Roadhouse District looks like Dean remembers it. The gas-station, the motel, the small supermarket, the Roadhouse itself. Over the years, Dean has studiously avoided coming back here, not wanting to be reminded of that time in his life. But now, being here doesn’t do more than dredge up a few memories. Because yeah, the Roadhouse still looks the same but Dean has changed. He isn’t that tired and scared 18-year-old anymore.

“Cas?” Dean asks when he has finally disentangled himself from his thoughts of the past. Because they’ve been sitting in park for the better part of ten minutes and Cas is still staring into space.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” Cas whispers.

“Of course you can,” Dean runs a soothing hand up and down his arm. “He’s your brother.”

Cas snorts. “Yeah, if Balthazar even lets me talk to him. He wasn’t happy about coming here in the first place.”

Balthazar and Cas had butted heads from the first moment they’d talked. It had been an endless string of fruitless calls – Balthazar insisting on neutral grounds for the meeting, Cas insisting on not leaving pack territory – before they’d finally compromised on the Roadhouse.

“You won’t find out if we keep sitting in the car,” Dean says reasonably. “Let’s just get it over with.”

Cas sighs but he unbuckles his seatbelt.

“Hey, wait,” Dean calls him back before he can open the door and draws him in for a kiss. It devolves into a series of kisses and nibbles and small bites and when they finally break apart, Cas rests his forehead against Dean’s for a moment, scent a lot calmer than it was.

“Thank you,” he mumbles.

“Always,” Dean replies.

 

Once outside of the car, they play the game. Cas draws himself up to his full height, puts intention behind his steps when he walks. Dean stays half a step behind him, close enough that he could reach out, but far enough back that in theory he’s shielded by Cas. It’s a bit ridiculous, but at the same time, something primal in him reacts to it anyway. Cas is here and ready to protect him. Dean can walk into any place, the Roadhouse or anywhere else, and no Alpha in his right mind will dare to come too close. Definitely not while Cas is with him. But most likely not even when he isn’t. Because between the mating bite and the smell of pack-Alpha on him, everyone knows that there’s going to be hell to pay if they lay a hand on him. And yeah, Dean can defend himself. But that doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy it a little bit that he doesn’t have to.

Cas stops in the doorway to let their eyes adjust to the dark interior of the pub. Immediately, all conversations in their vicinity die down, one waft of Cas’ smell enough to alert them to who he is. The reactions of the patrons span from curiosity to fear, depending on their social status and the legality of their business in town, Dean guesses.

“Alpha,” Ash comes over to them. He is half-jogging, an unusual speed for the perpetually stoned man. He’s got a harried expression, too. “We’ve been expecting you.”

The nerves of the people leaning towards fear seem to be infecting the other patrons and a low hum of activity sets in. There are only a few alphas here, and they are already leaving bills on the tables and slinking out of the door.

Cas lets the wave of nervous activity roll off of him without further notice, his scent calm and earthy as usual, laced with the honey that he shares with Dean and that is a permanent fixture now. If it wasn’t for the tiny note of salt and seaweed that Dean doesn’t think anyone but him notices, the Alpha would be perfectly serene.

“Thank you, Ash. Lead us to them.”

Cas’ voice has the same friendly authority it always has in public. His pack-Alpha mode is not a mask, if anything it’s more like a second skin that he’s comfortable in, even if it restricts some parts of him. Dean isn’t sure Cas had ever even thought about shedding this skin before Dean came along. And it’s only with Dean that he does so now, allowing himself to share moments of weakness or doubt. It’s beautiful to see Cas let go. And there’s nothing quite like the feeling when Cas hands the reigns over to him for a while. Dean is careful and shy with that power, still not really sure what to do with it. But he feels so trusted and loved, so happy to be able to give Cas something that no one else can. He can’t even think about it without warmth blossoming in his heart.

Dean follows Cas and Ash, eyes downcast, though not as low as he would have done before Cas. It’s enough for propriety, but yeah, he doesn’t actually have to cower to avoid an attack and that’s pretty swell.

Ash leads them to the back of the room. All tables here have ‘reserved’ signs Dean notices. Ellen’s precautions, Dean would wager. They have hashed this out a while ago. That it is best to keep the meeting to a public place but far enough separated that they won’t be overheard. On the off chance that things devolve into violence, Jody is on alert. Dean doubts it, though. Cas isn’t one to provoke and he isn’t one to let himself be provoked easily, either. And as long as Cas stays calm, chances are, Balthazar will, too.

“And here we are. I’ll bring you your drinks.” Ash hastens to get out of the way, not keen on ending up between two Alphas in a situation that might explode.

Balthazar and Gabe are sitting in the last booth towards the back. Or they were, because they’re getting up now. Dean is too curious to keep his eyes low, though he does for decorum’s sake look up through his lashes at least.

Balthazar is dressed to impress, though he hasn’t gone for a suit and tie like Cas, instead opting for designer fashion from the city. Dean makes sure he doesn’t meet his eyes, but then, chances are he wouldn’t have noticed Dean outright staring because all of his attention is focused on Cas. He has drawn himself up to full height, too, though Dean isn’t sure how much of an impression it will make. It seems like the two Alphas come up to about the exact same height anyway. Apart from that, they’re as different as can be, though, the fashionable blonde city Alpha and the rooted dark-haired pack-Alpha. There’s a different kind of power in their scents and they’re measuring each other up silently. It’s a battle though they aren’t moving a muscle.

Dean rolls his eyes and finds the gesture mirrored by Gabe. Gabriel is dressed more casually than his mate, though he also went for a dress shirt. He’s got sandy hair and though he’s not very short, he is the shortest of the four of them. He keeps sneaking glances at his brother. Once he notices Dean’s eyes on him, though, he turns, looking up fully now because between two Omegas, they’re equals and all that counts is their private truth that they like each other.

They smile, somewhat bashfully but also kind of happy. They’ve talked over the phone so much and know so much about each other already, it’s good to finally meet. Dean lets his eyes flicker to the Alphas and shrugs at Gabe apologetically. Must be frustrating to see your brother for the first time in a decade and have his attention focused completely on someone else. Gabe shrugs back. It is what it is.

“Balthazar,” Cas finally opens the conversation, “it is good to meet you. Thank you for agreeing to come.” It sounds stiff and formal, none of Cas’ usual smooth conversation.

“Thank you for inviting us, Castiel,” Balthazar replies, though the tone sounds more like he’s got dragged here.

The answer is warmer in comparison. “You’re both welcome on my territory.”

Ah, and from the way, Gabe suddenly blushes and looks at the floor, the reason for the warmer tone is that Cas said the words to his brother, not his brother’s mate.

Cas’ scent changes, too, adding a glint of sunshine onto the earthy base. He keeps addressing Balthazar with his words, but his gaze stays on Gabriel. “Actually, I should reword this. Gabriel has left us a long time ago but I’ve checked with Ellen. Michael has never revoked his pack membership. And I didn’t, either. So of course he is welcome in his home, and as his mate, you are, too.”

Gabe’s scent reacts immediately, and it is uncanny how similar the brothers smell, even though Gabriel’s scent is softer, sweeter, more like sun over a strawberry field than over open soil.

Balthazar on the other hand tenses even more when he notices. There is a slight growl in his voice though he tries to stay civil. “I didn’t know about that.”

Dean sees the short aborted movement when Gabe wants to reach out to his mate to calm him down but thinks better of it. Instead he fastens his eyes to the floor, obviously trying to reign in the short burst of happiness in response to his brother.

Dean looks down at the floor then, too. Because he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like that already Gabriel has to pretend not to be happy. So yeah, the Alphas need their pissing contest and Cas just pulled a trump card that has Balthazar on the defense. But it’s unfair that it means that Gabe has to suffer.

“I had never enquired about it before. To be honest, I had not dared to hope that I would see Gabriel again. I owe it to you and Dean that things turned out differently and I’m grateful.”

Balthazar gives a non-committal grunt and Cas sighs.

“Balthazar, I understand your position. But as it is, we have already managed to upset both of our mates. So maybe we can shorten this process. I accept your authority over my brother. I do not intend to do anything that would compromise that or come between you. But I would very much like to talk to Gabriel. With Gabriel’s consent and under your supervision, of course.”

It’s about as deferential to another Alpha as Dean has ever heard Cas get and that alone speaks volumes as to how much Cas wants to smooth this situation over fast.

Balthazar’s stance changes slightly at Cas’ words, attention for the first time dropping away from the other Alpha. Dean knows the moment when he’s actually taking in how his mate smells because suddenly Balthazar’s scent shifts from bristly and pungent like sunburned heat in the city to mellow fall days.

Cas notices, too, and breathes a small sigh of relief. “So, shall we sit down and talk then?”

“Fine with me,” Balthazar mumbles.

Since it’s a booth, there’s benches and Gabriel is already sliding in, Balthazar taking the outside. Cas thinks about it for a moment, then puts a hand on Dean’s back and guides him to slide onto the bench first to sit opposite Gabriel. Ash uses the opportunity to set two glasses of beer in front of them, obviously having waited with service until the initial tension was gone.

There is a long moment of silence afterwards. Then Cas raises his glass. “To family,” he says quietly.

“To family.” It is Gabe who echoes him, not Balthazar.

“And mates,” Dean adds, even though he knows you aren’t supposed to add to a toast. But whether he likes him or not, he doesn’t want Bal to feel left out.

“Mates are family, Dean-o,” Gabe counters.

“Tell them, not me,” Dean replies with a nod towards their mates.

“True enough,” Gabe sighs and turns to the Alphas in question. “So, you two done with the posturing? Are Dean and I allowed to talk now? Or do you need another half an hour? Because we can go play pool and check back later whether you had the good sense to leave each other alive.” He tries to make it sound snarky and light, but his frustration shows in every syllable.

“Gabriel,” Balthazar’s voice is low and warning.

“Oh, don’t you dare. Don’t you dare ‘Gabriel’ me. You want to show my brother what a good devoted little bitch I am to you? That’s _not_ the way to do it.” Gabe’s eyes are sparkling and the same quiet fury that shines through whenever the topic is Alpha/Omega relations is in his voice.

Interestingly, though, Gabe’s scent towards Balthazar doesn’t change. Where his smell towards Cas was strawberry fields in the sun, the one towards Balthazar is fresh-baked cookies. It is mirrored back with an unwavering smell of home and pastries and lazy Sunday mornings. Their bond is deep and strong when even upset there is nothing but _mate_ in it. It makes Dean smile, and for the first time gives him a better feeling towards Balthazar.

“I am, though. Devoted to him,” Gabe turns to Cas. “And I don’t care one whiff about whether you like him or not. So don’t ever talk shit about him, Cassie.”

There is a moment of stunned silence, then Cas nods. “Point made abundantly clear. For the record, I wasn’t planning on talking shit about him in the first place.”

“All the better,” Gabe grumbles a half-satisfied growl.

Dean thinks the whole exchange might be the most open display of an Omega’s strength he’s ever witnessed. He guesses a less evolved Alpha than their mates would likely call it defiance. Though that was clearly not the point. Gabe obviously likes and respects both Alphas. He has simply made perfectly clear where his boundaries are. Dean marvels at the ease with which the Alphas have accepted it, too. “Frikkin’ hell, Gabe, you’ve got a lot to teach to the rest of us.”

“Oh God, please don’t,” Cas exclaims and actually sounds half-frightened. “All he’s going to teach you is pranks. And they’re never even half as funny as he thinks they are.”

“Truer words have never been spoken,” Balthazar sighs.

“What? Now you agree with him?” Gabriel lays his hands over his heart dramatically, “you wound me, my love, you wound me.”

Balthazar snickers. “You should try that out on someone who doesn’t know you quite as well, dear. Then it might work. Though you’d probably have to dial down the drama a bit to make it believable.”

“Dial down the drama? What do you take me for? A sensible Beta?” Gabriel asks mock-shocked.

“I doubt anyone has ever taken you for sensible in your life, darling. Have they?” Balthazar turns to Cas.

“Umm,” Cas seems at a loss for words.

“Oh, come on, Cassie, you can say it as it is. No one was surprised when I presented. They resented me before, they resented me after. I bet that was different for you,” he looks at Dean. “Cause you know,” he gestures up and down Dean’s tall frame.

“The ‘resented me before, resented me after’ part wasn’t all that different,” Dean answers. “But yeah, it took some time adjusting.”

Cas’ hand is instantly on his thigh, a steadying presence, because they’re getting dangerously close to John Winchester territory and even more worryingly to ‘John Winchester reacts to finding out that his first-born is a little bitch’ territory and that leaves Dean shaking on the best of days. But Dean has no intent to actually let his thoughts drift to these places today.

“It’s okay, Cas,” Dean says softly. “I’m good now. Wouldn’t want to change who I am.” Because if he did, he wouldn’t be with Cas and he’s not ever ready for that.

Cas smiles, worry not gone, but fondness and pride crinkling the skin around his eyes and honey scent intensifying. Dean smiles back, just barely resisting the urge to nuzzle closer, but knowing that his scent gives away every bit of affection he feels anyway. Charlie’s told Dean that together they smell like fluffy pancakes with honey and maple syrup and she thought it adorable and he’s pretty sure she was teasing only a little. But for Dean, it is still a miracle that he’s allowed to bask in this scent every day.

While the pack’s gotten used to their sweetness over the past few months, Gabriel hasn’t. “Goodness,” he coughs. “Brother! You’re the quiet and shy one of our bunch. The one who never shows emotions. What happened?”

The hand on Dean’s thigh moves to find his hand, and Cas laces their fingers together. “Dean happened, that’s what.”

“Awwww. Dean-o, I knew you were powerful but I had no idea,” Gabe smirks.

Dean is pretty sure he is blushing but he ignores it. “Is that true?” he asks Cas instead.

“Which part? The quiet and shy or the no emotions?”

“Both?”

Cas glances sideways at Balthazar, but then seems to decide that he doesn’t care and turns his attention back to Dean. “Yes. On both accounts, I guess. Due to my brothers of course. Not Gabriel so much. Mostly the other two.”

“Michael’s the top-of-the-class everything-needs-to-be-in-order traditions-can-never-be-changed leader. Luci is the belligerent rebel. I’m the class clown. Weren’t that many positions left for Cassie to take.”

Cas shrugs though judging by the slight frown he isn’t happy about the topic. “It was easier not to be noticed too much.”

“How’d you deal? When they asked you to take over the pack? Would never in a million years have pegged you for the type to fight openly against Michael. Might have stayed if I had known it’d come to that.”

“You’d have stayed?” There is a note of honest surprise in Cas’ voice.

“Might have, is what I said. But yeah, I might.” For the first time, Gabriel locks eyes with Cas. “Wanted to tell you that before. Never quite found the right moment. But yeah, I never hated you, Cassie. You’re the only good guy in the whole brood. I know that you tried to help. And that you couldn’t.”

Bitter salt water scent emanates from Cas when he says. “I should have. I found a way later. I should have found it for you.”

Dean starts stroking his thumb over Cas’ skin. He also slides over a little until their hips are pressed together. Cas gratefully leans into the touch.

“Damn right, you should have,” Balthazar growls.

“Oh shush,” Gabe smacks him lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself, Cassie. I never blamed you. Not for what happened while I was still in the pack, not for what happened after. You’re my little brother, ain’t your job to fix my life.” He shakes himself as if to shake off his thoughts. “And now let’s stop talking about this. It makes me uncomfortable. I’d much rather want to know how you went from awkward and shy pup to well-respected pack-Alpha who won a war. Cause that still doesn’t make sense to me.”

“It is a mostly boring story, I fear,” Cas says. “And the parts that aren’t boring aren’t pretty.”

Dean holds his hand a little tighter then because they are fast approaching the territory that leaves Cas shaken.

“Well, all the parts end with Michael and Lucifer getting banned, right? That’s plenty ‘pretty’ for me,” Gabriel snarls.

And now it’s Balthazar who snakes a hand over his mate’s fingers.

It relaxes Gabriel a bit. “God, I hate the bastards,” he sighs and unashamedly leans into his mate.

“Yeah, me too,” Cas admits with a tired smile. “But I still wish it hadn’t come to me sitting trial over them. It was an altogether unpleasant experience.”

“Your pack was better off for it, though,” Balthazar offers quietly. It’s the first time he’s openly acknowledged Cas’ position.

Cas inclines his head, recognizing Balthazar’s reference to his authority. “I believe they are. And judging by the responses we got to our courtship and mating, I think my pack is happy with me, too. I try to make sure that they have the chance to vocalize any discontent without having to fear repercussions.” He smiles a small slightly self-deprecating smile. “I have the hope that Dean would tell me, too, if I became an asshole with an inflated ego.”

Gabe raises his eyebrows at Dean. They’ve talked about this at length when neither of their Alphas was close. About how to walk that balance between their nature telling them to submit and not question, and their hearts insisting on saying their piece when it needs to be said. It isn’t easy. Gabe’s got more experience than Dean, and he’s louder and more extravagant by nature, but in quiet moments you get him to admit that he struggles with it, too. Even after years of being together with Bal.

“Yeah, Cas, I would,” Dean says softly. He thinks he actually would, too. If only because Cas has told him often enough that he wants him to.

“Good boy,” Gabe smirks.

“Oh, shut up,” Dean grumbles, immediately embarrassed.

Both Alphas have their eyebrows raised at them now. Dean blushes but Gabe just laughs.

“You _have_ been teaching him,” Cas says surprised.

“You got a problem with that, brother?” Gabriel growls.

“No,” Cas shakes his head. “No, I don’t. In the opposite. Thank you, Gabe.”

Now it’s Dean’s turn to raise his eyebrows and be surprised. “Honestly? Just like that? You’re not even scared of the pranks?”

Cas smiles, voice warm and soft. “No, Dean, I’m glad that you and Gabe talk. That you have someone to talk to who understands when I don’t.” Then he chuckles. “But please, please no pranks.”

Dean grins. “Can I try them out on Sammy at least?”

That makes Cas laugh. “Well, the consequences are all yours.”

“Where is your brother anyway?” Gabriel asks.

“At home, writing his last essays for his college applications, hopefully.”

“So we aren’t going to meet him? Cause I want to meet him,” Gabe pouts. “I’ve heard too much about the hippie Moose not to see him with my own eyes.”

“Well,” Cas says, “it depends on if you’re staying overnight. We didn’t think adding a third Alpha to a first meeting was a very wise idea. But we could invite you for lunch tomorrow and you could meet him at our house.”

Gabriel doesn’t say anything, but he looks at Balthazar with pleading eyes.

Balthazar holds his gaze for only a moment before turning away and closing his eyes as if to gather strength. He is too far away from Dean for him to figure out how unhappy exactly his scent gets, but it’s pretty clear that the prospect doesn’t excite him. Gabriel notices, too, of course, and while he does his best to keep his expression neutral when the resignation sets in, it is clear from the way he collects his hands in his lap and looks down at them - the very picture of a meek Omega - that he is disappointed but won’t counter his mate on this.

But then Balthazar pulls himself together, opens his eyes and nods. “Thank you for the invitation, Castiel. We will stay at the motel and come by for lunch tomorrow. I have to be back at work on Monday, though, so we’ll only stay the one night.”

The last part is said to Gabriel but it doesn’t put a damper on his sudden face-splitting smile. He wraps his arms around Balthazar and nuzzles his face into his neck. The thank you is less dramatic and more honest than Dean expects it to be and seems so intimate that he has to avert his eyes.

Instead he looks at Cas, who draws him in for a quick hug. “Thank you,” Cas whispers. Dean just hugs him back.

Then, Balthazar clears his throat. “Dean, would you help me with our luggage maybe?”

Dean stiffens in Cas’ embrace, and Cas immediately turns, putting himself between Dean and Balthazar.

“With your permission, of course, Castiel. But if you two,” he points at Cas and Gabe, “want a moment on your own, I’d be willing to provide it.”

And oh, yeah, that makes sense, Dean guesses and relaxes a little. He looks Balthazar over again. He doesn’t like him, but he doesn’t think he’s going to try anything weird. Not on Cas’ territory. And Dean knows that both Gabe and Cas deserve this opportunity. So he puts his hand on Cas’ sleeve. “It’s okay, Cas. I can do that.”

“You sure?” Cas asks.

“Yeah,” Dean nods.

“Okay,” Cas says and looks at Balthazar again. “But you have no authority over him, understand? Anything he doesn’t want to do, anything he doesn’t want to talk about, he doesn’t.”

“Of course,” Balthazar nods. “Do I need to give you the same lecture?”

“No,” Cas answers and slips out of the bench to let Dean pass. “I’m aware.”

Dean nods at Gabe and mouths, “Make the most of it.”

He presses a quick kiss to Cas’ lips before taking a place next to Balthazar.

Balthazar looks unhappily from Gabe to Cas and back. “If you have to hug, in the interest of everyone, please do it while I’m away.” Then he turns on his heel and marches towards the entrance, leaving Dean to scramble after him.

 

Outside, Balthazar takes a deep breath. To Dean’s surprise, he seems to be trembling.

“Are you okay?” he asks him cautiously.

“No. No, I’m really not okay. But it doesn’t matter. This is for Gabe, not for me.”

Dean frowns. This sounds worse than what Balthazar let on while they were inside. “If it helps any, Cas is a decent guy. He’s not out to hurt Gabe.”

“I know, I know. But – I sit in there and I see Gabe smiling at him and – do you know how long it took before he gave me a smile? An honest to God real smile? Not a sexy smirk, not an appeasing grin, not any of the hundred masks he wears. Just a smile because he felt like smiling. It took so goddamn long. Fuck,” Balthazar plonks down at the curb. “I need a moment, sorry.”

Dean is insecure, but he sits down next to Balthazar, leaving enough space between them that there is no risk of touching.

“He was so fucking jaded. Hid it under grandeur and dirty jokes of course. But he didn’t even have enough fight left in him to try to figure me out. To see whether he could trust me. He just assumed…” Balthazar drops his head into his hands. “I fought so hard. It was months before he even considered that I might be serious. That I wasn’t just…”

“… another john,” Dean says quietly when Balthazar doesn’t seem to be able to finish his sentence.

“Yeah,” he nods. “I forgot. He told you about that. Well, maybe it helps you understand. Why I spent years hating his family. Imagining in every detail how I’d rip them apart for what they did to him. For the path they set him on. And now…” He drops his head back into his hands.

“Now Cas is a decent guy and you don’t know how to adjust.”

“I’m sorry,” Balthazar says. “He’s your mate. I shouldn’t be talking about violence towards him.”

Dean shrugs. “Don’t think you’re actively planning to rip him to shreds right now. Pretty sure you wouldn’t have left him alone with Gabe if you thought he was trouble.”

Balthazar sighs. “Still, better keep your mate out of my reach when we go back in later. Having his scent on Gabe will take up about everything I have left in self-control today.”

Dean hesitates for a moment, but then he says, “I like you better like this.”

“What?”

“The honesty. It’s brutal, but I can see what he sees in you now. I couldn’t before.”

Balthazar laughs a rough laugh. “You see me at my worst and you like me for it?”

“Seems so,” Dean shrugs.

Balthazar shakes his head but he stretches out his hand. “I’m Bal.”

Dean takes the hand. “Still Dean.”

“Good to meet you, Dean.”

 

The luggage isn’t actually much. It’s just two small overnight bags. They get keys for Room #2 and set the bags on the bed.

“Do you think we gave them long enough?” Bal asks.

“I don’t know,” Dean shakes his head. “If that was my brother and I hadn’t seen him for a decade… Don’t think there would be enough time in a year. Also means, it doesn’t really matter if we come back now or in half an hour.” Or it does, but only in the way that he’s not staying for half an hour in an empty motel room with a strange Alpha whether it’s his brother-in-law or not. “They’ll see each other tomorrow anyway.”

“True, I guess. We should go back then.” And yeah, Bal doesn’t want to stay longer, either, he’s impatient to get back to his mate.

So Dean just nods and they make their way back.

 

A wet seawater scent hangs in the air, remnants of tears, apparently. But Cas and Gabe are laughing now, chuckling about some joke that Dean and Bal came in too late to hear. They’re sitting closer than they had been, leaning over the table into each other’s space, though they’re not touching.

Bal immediately tenses and Dean remembers his words about keeping him out of reach. There is only very little he can do about it, though. So he just slides into the booth before Cas has a chance to get up and let him through. This way, at least he’s the one facing Bal directly.

Bal nods at him, appreciating the gesture.

Apparently, that little understanding between the two of them is enough to raise everyone else’s hackles, though, because suddenly Dean has two hands on his hips and gets pulled close to Cas who noses not too subtly at him.

“Jeez, Cas, jealous much?” Dean chastises but takes the opportunity to sniff Cas, too. He doesn’t smell like Gabe, not in the way he would if they had hugged for a prolonged period of time. Too soon for physical closeness, maybe, after all these years of being estranged.

Cas gives a satisfied grunt when there is no trace of Balthazar’s scent on Dean’s torso but doesn’t let go of him. With a soft sigh, Dean gives in and slings his arms around Cas’ waist, burying his face in his neck.

“Is this common here?” Balthazar asks. “Being as openly affectionate with each other as you two are?”

Cas laughs softly and wraps a hand into Dean’s hair. “No, it isn’t. But it is not considered inappropriate, either, as it is in other places.”

“Lucky us,” Dean mumbles against Cas’ skin.

“Lucky you, indeed,” chuckles Gabe. “Don’t know what would happen if we did this in a bar in the city. He’d get a dozen offers to sell me for the night, probably.”

“Well,” Balthazar growls, “they’d be out of luck. I’m not the sharing type.”

“You’d better not be,” grumbles Gabriel. “And in case you couldn’t tell, I didn’t hug him. I know you wouldn’t like it, having his scent on me and not knowing exactly what happened. So I didn’t.”

“You could have,” Bal answers though it sounds forced. “It’s nothing that a shower and fresh clothes won’t solve.”

Gabe looks at his mate appraisingly. “I might still hug him goodbye later. If that’s okay for you.”

Balthazar noticeably grits his teeth but nods. “Maybe let me go to the motel room first. And have that shower immediately after.”

Cas seems to want to say something to the exchange, but then decides differently and just presses a kiss into Dean’s hair. He’s said he wouldn’t interfere in any of their relations, so Dean guesses this falls under that heading.

Gabriel pats his mate’s arm soothingly but turns back to them. He seems to feel obliged to give them an explanation of sort. “We haven’t had this sort of situation before. Not since the beginning. I, uhh, I guess I wasn’t really sure about him and kind of, umm, tested his limits, and he had to witness some, umm, stuff. Shh, shh,” embarrassment turns to worry when Bal starts growling in earnest at that mention. “It’s good now. It’s all good and I’m not that person anymore,” Gabe soothes. “But I can’t make it un-happen. So we avoid other Alphas normally.” Gabe trails off.

Dean shudders to think of Bal’s reaction to what Gabe is alluding to. If Bal was already sure that Gabe was his true mate and Gabe just went ahead and made out with another Alpha in his presence… It’s a miracle that everyone is still alive.

Cas breaks him out of his thoughts. “I understand. It’s hard for me, too. Even with blood relations. It makes me physically nauseous to smell another Alpha on Dean. It’s very hard not to react. Even when it’s just Sam.” Cas presses Dean a little closer as if to make sure he’s still all there and all his.

“No, Castiel, you really don’t understand,” Bal shakes his head. He has balled his hands into fists and the sudden smell of old rage and hurt is like electric smoke and lightning in the air. “When you think of your mate hugging an Alpha, you see Dean and his brother and you’re tense and uncomfortable but you know it’s just brotherly affection. When I think of you hugging Gabriel, I see Gabriel getting fucked by a stranger in a back alley where he knows I can see just to prove to me that I’m no better than anyone else and will hurt him if push comes to shove.”

And yikes, that is so much worse than Dean imagined, miracle that everyone is alive doesn’t even cover it. Gabriel, too, winces at the blunt statement. He drops his eyes to his lap and wrings his hands together, not touching Bal anymore.

“Did you?” Cas asks, voice low but dangerous. “Hurt him?” His fingers are digging into Dean’s hips, enough indication that Cas is pretty awfully upset by the story.

“Cas? Please?” Dean asks him quietly and runs his hands over Cas’ arms to get him to loosen his hold.

It takes a moment and a purposeful deep breath but then the pressure is gone and Cas’ arms circle him more loosely. Dean squeezes Cas’ hands for a moment, a silent thank you, and goes back running his hands comfortingly along his arms.

“No, he didn’t hurt me,” Gabe replies instead of Bal. He’s still not looking up, though. “But he broke his hand, he punched the wall so often and so hard. And I couldn’t even get him to the hospital myself, because he flipped out every time I came close. Was a week and two smashed cell phones, before he could even stand my voice long enough for me to apologize.”

Gabe reminds him of a lost puppy so much that Dean’s instincts urge him to jump up and draw him into a tight soothing huddle, to comfort him by his pure physical presence. But the more evolved parts of his brain tell him that it’s very much not a good idea.

So Dean goes for the second best option, and uses words, though that is incredibly much harder. “You still smell the same, you know? I mean, yeah, you smell like saltwater right now, and Bal smells like a lightning storm, but towards each other, you still smell the same. There’s nothing but _mate_ there, even when you talk about how you’ve hurt each other. So you must have done something right. Because it’s the strongest bond I’ve ever smelled.”

Cas sniffs the air as if he hasn’t even noticed this yet. “That’s true,” he says surprised.

“Forged in fire, isn’t that what they say,” Balthazar mumbles and he sounds incredibly exhausted.

Gabriel glances up at him then, a quick darting look, like he isn’t sure that he should yet. But after a moment’s hesitation he unknots his hands and sneaks one over to Bal.

There is no hesitation when Bal wraps his hands around Gabe’s. He sighs deeply and draws himself back up to sit straight. “Well, you got your answer back then and it still stands,” he says firmly. “You’re my mate. I’ll stand by you, come hell or high water. I do appreciate that you don’t set out to hurt me anymore, though. You have an uncanny ability to hit me right at my core.”

Gabriel just swallows heavily and nods, eyes downcast, shoulders hunched.

“Hey,” Bal shakes their locked hands slightly, “don’t do this. I’m happy that your brother didn’t turn out to be an ass. I’m happy for you, okay? Even if I get a bit rattled every so often.”

“I have no idea how I deserve you,” Gabriel mumbles.

“Hush, or I’ll make you watch Titanic,” Bal replies with a small smile and cups Gabe’s face to draw him in for a kiss.

Dean turns his head to look at Cas and give the others their moment. Cas looks tired, too, the emotional day getting to him. But small crinkles appear around his eyes when he smiles at Dean and it makes his whole face light up.

_Warm safe loved happy_.

There’ll never be good enough words to describe what he feels for Cas. “You know that I have no idea either, right? What I did to deserve you. How I got so lucky.”

“We both got lucky,” Cas replies with emphasis.

The feeling of warmthintensifies. His mate is happy with him and that makes Dean happy. But there was one point: “You really feel nauseous when I’m hugging Sam? Cause you know, if it upsets you, I can stop.”

“No, Dean,” Cas shakes his head. “That’s not what I wanted to say with that. For all practical purposes, you’re his parent. You’re the one who comforts him when things go wrong at school and the one who embraces him and tells him ‘well done’ when he aces his classes. I won’t take that away from either of you just because it makes me uncomfortable. And it is no more than that. It makes me uncomfortable.”

“Nauseous sounds a bit worse than uncomfortable…”

Cas smiles and runs his hand along Dean’s side. “Fortunately, it got a little easier after we got mated. It’s hard to describe. It’s like – something in me settled.”

His hand catches at the mating bite and he strokes it softly. Dean lays his own hand over Cas’. “Yeah, I don’t wake up thinking I dreamed you up anymore, either.”

Cas snorts. “I think you could dream up something better than me.”

And that’s so far off base, that he doesn’t have any qualms about disagreeing. “Nah, Cas, you’re wrong about that one.” He snuggles close into Cas’ side and lets his scent wash over him.

They’re silent for a long time then, both couples taking comfort in each other because they’re wrung out emotionally.

“What do you say, should we retire for tonight and meet again tomorrow?” Cas finally asks.

“I think that might be a good idea,” Balthazar nods. “You okay with that, darling?”

Gabriel nods, too.

“Alright. Oh, and whatever you spend at the Roadhouse and the motel, it’s on me. Least I can do since you had to travel,” Cas states.       

“Thank you,” Balthazar says and it doesn’t even sound grudging.

They sort themselves into some sort of ranked group, opting for mates close together, so Cas and Dean end up in front of the others for the way out of the Roadhouse where they have to go single file. Outside, with enough space, Cas slows down until Balthazar is almost up to his side, though they keeps an arm’s length between them.

Dean slows down and leaves a wider space than normal to Cas to be able to walk next to Gabriel.

“Do you think we’re going to get the chance to talk tomorrow? On our own, I mean.” There is something urgent in Gabe’s voice that sounds like more than just the carry-over of talking about the past.

“Something wrong?” Dean asks worriedly.

“No, no, I just – we don’t need watch dogs all the time, do we?”

“Thought you’d rather use the chance to talk to your brother than to me,” Dean shrugs.

“And I’m using it, but –“ Gabe catches Dean’s sleeve to holds him back. “He’s my Alpha brother. You’re my friend.”

And okay, there is most definitely something wrong. “Yeah, you’re my friend, too, Gabe,” he says with a concerned frown.

The Alphas have stopped and turned back to them now.

“Umm,” Dean tries to think quickly, “Gabe and I thought it would be nice if I showed him a few of my favorite places around town tomorrow morning. Maybe go to the lake. Bit of nature for the city Omega. Is that okay?” It’s a weak excuse, seeing that Gabe might be the person who’s the least interested in nature that he’s ever met but he has no time to come up with anything better. “We can all meet up at the house for the big family lunch after.”

Judging by Cas’ tilted head and Balthazar’s stare, he’s about as smooth as gravel.

“We promise we’ll be back for lunch on time and not leave you alone in each other’s company,” Gabe adds his own persuasive powers.

Dean snorts because as far as arguments go, it’s pathetic but he can still see the cogs whirring as both Alphas simultaneously have the same frightening thought that if they don’t let them go Dean and Gabe might want to talk alone _during_ lunch at some time.

Balthazar is the first to break. “Fine with me.”

“Of course,” Cas sighs.

“Awesome,” Dean plasters on a smile to cover up that he’s still worried.

“Is there anything else you want to see? Or anyone?” Cas asks Gabe. “If you want me to invite someone else to lunch, just tell me.”

“I’m good. But thank you.” He eyes the Alphas for a moment, then he shrugs. “Bal, I’m going to hug some people now, so better be prepared.”

He wraps his arms around Dean and squeezes tight, though Dean barely has time to react and return the gesture before Gabe has already let go again and steps up to Cas. When in front of him, he hesitates as if he’s suddenly insecure, before just tackling him. Cas gathers him in his arms, pressing his nose into Gabe’s hair.

The embrace lingers longer than the one with Dean, and Dean narrows his eyes. Suddenly he understands Cas’ problems with him hugging Sam. Because Dean’s conscious brain tells him that it is fine for two brothers to hug and smell each other, but his subconscious screams at him that there’s another Omega in his Alpha’s arms. And there should never ever be another Omega in his Alpha’s arms. It constricts his lungs and his airways and he tries to breathe but he can’t. Because this is wrong. _Wrong wrong wrong_.

It’s only when the brothers finally let go that Dean gulps in a big mouthful of air. The sirens in his head calm down.

“I better go,” Gabriel says with a frown, and Dean notices that Balthazar is gone.

Gabe nods at them and then almost sprints towards the motel where the door to Room #2 is slightly ajar.

“Can _I_ hug you now?” Dean asks and knows it sounds petulant but the urge to reclaim Cas and cover Gabe’s scent with his own is too strong for him to care.

He expects to be teased for it, but Cas just steps forward, wraps him into his arms and nuzzles his nose deep into Dean’s skin. The relief is immediate. _Mate_. _Mine_. Dean scrapes his teeth over the mating bite on Cas’ neck, not too seriously but enough that he knows that it stings.

Cas chuckles. “You don’t have to remind me, you know?”

“Hrmpf,” Dean grumbles and bites a little harder.

“Enough,” Cas laughs and gives him a slap on the ass. “We’re going home before we get playful.”

 

\--

Dean gets woken up by fingers playing in his hair. He stretches and opens his eyes lazily. Cas is wide awake already it seems. Dean gives him a languid smile. If Cas wants to play he’s up for it as long as he gets to wake up slowly. Cas takes him up on the offer, purposefully expanding the range that his fingers explore, drawing them over Dean’s ear and down the side of his face.

Still half-asleep, Dean curls his head back to give Cas space to roam. Cas lets his fingers trail over Dean’s neck and then suddenly he stops and lets his palm rest on Dean’s throat, just softly brushing his thumb over the pulse point. It’s enough to wake Dean up completely but after the initial jolt, Dean’s heart rate calms down again almost immediately. Cas has moments like this. Moments where he seems to need to make sure that Dean is all his. And that’s okay. Because Cas doesn’t hurt him.

Dean dimly remembers shaking with fear the first time Cas touched his throat. But he didn’t know him then. He was just an Alpha he had to submit to. Now, he’s so much more. The thought prompts a low heat in his gut, simmering for now but ready to burst into flames at Cas’ touch. So instead of leaning away or even just trying to keep still, Dean catches Cas’ eye and leans into the touch, though this way he restricts his own airflow. Because he wants to show it to him, too. That he doesn’t just submit to him anymore. That he loves him and he trusts him with his life.

He gets rewarded with something like awe in Cas’ expression when Cas understands what Dean is doing.

And okay, Dean likes that expression and if this is what Cas needs this morning, he can comply. Carefully and without jostling too much, he manages to get his arms behind his back, catching his forearms with his fingers and folding his arms as far back as is still halfway comfortable while lying on his side.

The position stretches out his chest and neck even more, and it’s actually partly Cas’ hold on his throat that helps him keep his balance and not topple forward. It’s about as vulnerable as he can make himself to Cas.

Cas’ mouth opens to let out a silent ‘oh’ and he’s breathing in short shallow gasps, not moving a muscle as if he’s afraid to break the spell.

But there’s no spell. There’s just Cas and Dean. And while Dean can’t imagine giving anyone else this much power over him, he also can’t imagine not giving it to Cas. Yeah, it’s more visible this second, when Cas wouldn’t even need any substantial power to cut off his airflow completely, but it’s always there. And it’s always freely given. Also, Dean is sure that Cas would never close his fingers over his windpipe just because he can.

“Yours, Cas.” The words sound hoarse, his voice still rough from sleeping and his Adam’s Apple bobs against Cas’ fingers.

Cas shivers at the feel of it and then he’s leaning down and crushing Dean into a hard kiss, claiming him with all he’s got.

They never start out slow and they only break the kiss once, when Dean starts moving to bring his arms forward again. “No, keep them where they are. I’m taking care of you today.”

Dean complies without question, and Cas proceeds to lavish him with kisses and work his way down Dean’s exposed chest. With no way to reciprocate, there is nothing for Dean to do but follow the hot trails that Cas is licking and biting into his skin, and by the time Cas reaches the waistband of his boxers and turns him from his side onto his back to slide them down, Dean’s already a writhing mess, vocal repertoire narrowed down to a panted “ _Cas Cas Cas_ ”.

It does something to Cas, too, because he can’t seem to get their boxers out of the way fast enough. Then they’re finally gloriously naked, but instead of instantly coming back and pushing their skin together, Cas takes the time to prop Dean’s hips up on a pillow. Dean whines at him and rolls his hips up because this is all taking too goddamn fucking long.

Immediately, Cas’ hands are on Dean, thumbs boring into his hip bone to keep him still. He takes the hint but it doesn’t keep him from vocally encouraging Cas to move faster. He’s not sure there’s actual words in it, though. Then Cas’ mouth is back on his skin and he knows that his ramblings are just a broken string of sounds while he desperately tries to keep still against the intensity of Cas’ touch.

In the end, neither of them lasts long, what remnants of self-control they had washed away by the feeling of being joined together. Dean’s vision whites out and when he comes to, Cas has already turned them around so that Dean is lying on top of him. He is rubbing life back into Dean’s arms. Dean groans when he moves them. They’ve been trapped under his body way too long. And okay, in hindsight, propping Dean up with a pillow so that his arms don’t take all the strain was probably a good idea.

“You okay?” Cas asks.

“Mm-hm,” Dean nods because verbal agreement is still beyond him. Instead he just lets his head sink back down onto Cas’ chest.

Cas laces his fingers through Dean’s. “Squeeze my fingers for me?”

He feels too lazy and fucked out for this, but he knows Cas won’t give him peace until he’s made sure that everything is okay and blood flow is restored to all appendages, so he squeezes Cas’ hands.

“Very good,” Cas murmurs, and wraps his arms around Dean’s back.

Dean sighs contentedly, because that’s the sign that Cas is satisfied and will let Dean drift off to sleep for a bit.

 

He wakes him sooner than Dean would like, though. “Come on, shower and then coffee. You’re supposed to meet up with Gabe in 45 minutes.”

“How are you so energetic already? You did all the work,” Dean complains.

Cas just chuckles and moves Dean from where he’s still splayed on top of him so that they can get up. “Come on, we’ll shower together. I got to make sure you don’t accidentally drown yourself by falling back asleep.”

He could protest that but then the prospect of showering together is actually nice, so he just sighs and drags his ass out of bed.

The warm water wakes him up and he starts rubbing the sore muscles in his arms to get the remnants of tension out.

“Let me,” Cas says and takes over.

They stand in comfortable silence under the warm water while Cas massages Dean’s shoulders. “Does it still hurt?”

“Nah. But if you want to keep doing that, I’ve got no complaints.”

“What about the rest?” Cas asks and there’s a tinge of worry in his voice. “How do you feel?”

“Like you fucked me good,” Dean says with a shrug.

“Not what I meant and you know it.”

Dean twists out of Cas’ grasp and turns off the water. “Here,” he offers him his neck. “Scent me.”

The water has washed off the earlier arousal but there’s a bone-deep satisfaction that no amount of soap can cover.

“You’re _my_ Alpha, Cas. You claiming me will never feel bad.”

“I just – I want to make sure.”

“And you do. You don’t take what isn’t freely given. Which is why it is easy to give,” Dean smiles and draws Cas close until they’re flush against each other. He rubs his hand over the mating bite. “Mine.”

“Yours,” Cas sighs happily.

 

Of course he’s late by the time he makes it to the Roadhouse. Because they couldn’t keep their fingers off each other and then they had to wait and then shower all over again and Cas had refused to let him out of the house without at least rehydrating, which had led to breakfast after all, because yeah, they had burned enough calories to be hungry.

But now he’s finally here and Gabe’s already waiting for him. “Hey Dean-o.”

“Morning, Gabe.”

Gabriel chuckles, though it’s not a happy sound. “Yeah, not really morning anymore, is it?”

“Sorry. Got held up.”

Gabriel sniffs the air in the car not too surreptitiously while slamming the door shut. “Yeah, right, held up by my brother’s knot.”

“We talked about this, Gabe, no graphic details,” Dean says and starts the car.

“That wasn’t even a detail! That was an anatomically correct fact!”

“Fine,” Dean rolls his eyes. “I’ll let the topic go if you let the topic go.”

“Was it good at least? Because I waited for half an hour, you know. And Bal was unhappy enough about this to begin with.”

“Sorry,” Dean says. “Didn’t want to get you into more trouble than you have already managed to get yourself in.”

“That’s not an answer,” Gabe says and leans over to sniff at Dean’s neck.

“Hey!” The Impala almost swerves off the road, Dean jerks so violently.

“Uhh, yeah, it was good,” Gabe nods satisfied and leans back in his seat again. “The car stinks of Alpha and sex, but you smell happy and sated.”

“Please stop, man,” Dean is not above begging if nothing else helps.

“Oh come on, Dean-o, we talk about shit like this on the phone.”

“Yeah, but you’re not right up in my space then!”

“Jeez,” Gabe sighs, “you ain’t such a prissy when my brother’s around.”

“In case it has escaped your attention, your brother is my mate. He can be up in my space all he wants.”

“Awwww, everything just for the good old Cassie,” Gabriel mocks.

“Come on, gimme a break, man. It ain’t like you and Bal are any better than we are.”

“Yeah, whatever.” It sounds harsh.

“What’s wrong?”

“You asking goddamn questions is what’s wrong,” Gabriel growls.

They’re there, so Dean shuts off the engine and looks at Gabe. “Seriously, man? You wanted to meet up to fight with me? Just tell me what’s up.” Dean might not be the fastest in catching up with his own emotions, but he does know when someone else is in pain.

Gabriel sighs, aggression falling away for something dark and quiet. “Let’s walk, okay?”

They walk in silence until they reach the lake. Gabriel picks up small stones and throws them in the water. In the beginning, he tries to pick flat ones and makes them skip on the surface, but then he just picks whatever he finds and throws as hard as he can, putting his whole weight behind it. It doesn’t take long before he’s huffing and puffing, and then he’s finally exhausted himself and plonks down on the ground.

Gabe’s scent is acrid and salty at the same time, angry tears silently running down his face. Dean doesn’t comment, he just lowers himself to the ground next to Gabe.

It takes a minute for Gabe to get his emotions under control. He pulls a crumpled sheet of paper out of his pocket and hands it to Dean.

It smells dusty and chemical. Cheap printer paper, the print already smeared in places. It’s covered from top to bottom in small type. It takes a moment until Dean can make sense of it. He notices the address first. An Omega clinic. The date printed on top is last Wednesday. Results from some sort of tests. He skips to the bottom of the page, past the numbers that don’t mean a thing to him. The final number at the bottom is 0.8%.

“That’s our chances,” Gabriel says, voice cracking.

Dean reads back upwards and suddenly he recognizes individual terms and the numbers start making sense to him. “Your chances of having pups.”

“Yeah,” Gabriel confirms and his voice is suddenly oddly detached. “Haven’t showed it to Bal yet. Don’t really know how.”

“He going to react badly?” Dean asks carefully.

Gabe laughs unhappily. “Depends on your definition of ‘badly’. He’s going to be understanding and fuss about me some more and ah fuck.” He takes another stone and hurtles it into the water. “Sometimes it’d be easier if he just got angry. If he took it out on me instead of being so goddamn nice. I’m killing every plan he’s ever had for his life and he’s so goddamn nice about it.”

“Seems to me like his plans for his life include you pretty firmly,” Dean counters.

“Well, he’s way too much of a good guy to throw me back out on the streets. I wouldn’t even be upset with him if he did. I mean, he’s put up with me longer than pretty much anyone else. And I’ve got zero nesting skills. I make pretty decent sweets for my shop but he can buy those anywhere. And I guess the sex isn’t too bad. But again, he can buy that anywhere. So I was thinking, what the hell can I give him that someone else can’t?”

He breaks off for a second but before Dean can butt in and mention that he doesn’t think Gabe has accurately summarized the concept of having a mate, Gabriel is already going on.

“And then I thought, maybe this, maybe at least this. He’s always wanted kids. And I feel stable enough now. So let’s have kids. I can give him that, right? He’s got a broken mate, who did horrible things and made him watch, who still gets catcalled on the streets by his loyal Alpha fanbase, but you know, at least Bal can have a family like he always wanted. Turns out, I can’t even do that for him.”

They sit in silence for a moment. Dean doesn’t have any idea what to say to that. Apart from “Fuck.”

“Yeah. Fuck.” Gabriel runs his hands through his hair and sighs deeply. “I honestly don’t know what to do, Dean. I just don’t know. He’s saddled with me and you’re right, we have a strong bond. But – I can’t give him what he wants. He’d be better off without me.”

“Gabe, don’t say shit like that. It’s not true.”

But Gabriel just ignores him. “I’ve thought about disappearing. But he’s smart. He’d probably find me. And my skill set is limited. I’d be working again in no time. And I don’t think I can. Not after him. Not after having known how it is to… Not with the risk of him finding me. And you know how it is, the ones that go for the very young and the ones that go for the ones who lost their mate are the most depraved fuckers.”

“Don’t do it,” Dean says and tries not to sound quite as nauseous as the thought makes him.

“As I said, won’t work, I don’t think. Leaves the option of just offing myself. But… I dunno. There’s the fact that I’m kind of a coward. And I don’t find a good way to do this where he doesn’t have to find me or identify my body. Cause I’m pretty sure I promised him not to put him through more shit and I have a feeling that this falls under the category of more shit.”

“It really does. And it’s also pretty effing final. Just, don’t do that either, man” Dean shakes his head fervently. Because hell, that’s a goddamn shitty option and for Gabe to even consider it is mind-boggling.

“Think Cassie would take me in? If I could somehow find a way to stop Bal from coming after me?”

And okay, this option is better than the last two at least. “Yeah, I believe he would,” Dean says. “But Gabe, you don’t want that. You don’t want Bal to stop coming after you.”

“No, I really don’t. I want a happy laughing family. I want to teach the kids how to bake cookies. I want Bal to come home from work and read goodnight stories to all of us. I want him to smile at the family and be happy. I want me to be happy. But none of that is going to happen. For me, anyway. It still can for him.”

“He’s got your bite, Gabe. He is _your_ mate.”

“Yeah, well, but once I’m gone he can mourn and then he can move on. He’s attractive. He’s got money. He’s still young enough for a second round. There’s more than one Omega out there who’d take him in a heartbeat.”

“But he won’t want them. He wants you!” How is that so hard for Gabe to see when it is clear as day to Dean?

Gabe shakes his head. “He just doesn’t know what’s out there. He’s used to me by now. And I try to keep him happy. You know, for all my blunder, it’s not like I don’t try…”

“Yeah, I know,” Dean nods. “He knows, too.”

Gabe sighs. “Only, I’ve been awful to him in the past few days. Snapped at him. Been distant. He thinks it’s got something to do with Cassie. He doesn’t even know I went to that clinic.”

“What’s wrong with you anyway?” Dean asks and tries to get the conversation back from the brink and onto more stable ground. “This is all gibberish to me.” He hands the paper back.

Gabe folds it up and slips it neatly back into his pocket. “Everything is wrong, pretty much. I’m too old. My bloodwork isn’t good. I caught a few things back in the day that are healed up now but they left their marks. We could probably work around all of that with the right meds. But there’s too much scar tissue. From, you know, stuff that went deeper than it should have. Knots that got ripped out. After a while you just… You get used to bleeding. You don’t go to the clinic every time. You don’t want to see the pale wide-eyed little ones that just got raped for the first time. And you don’t want to take up their doctors’ time. It’s not like any of these clinics has enough personnel.” He shrugs. “Guess I should have gone a little more often after all.”

“Shit,” Dean sighs. That’s a pretty extensive list.

“Yeah. Anyway, that’s why the chances are under 1%. Cause even if it takes initially, things inside me are too damaged to support a kid. There’s virtually no chance to get to term.”

“I’m sorry.”

Gabe just nods. The anger in his scent has dissipated, leaving behind a trail of defeat. “I could be okay here, I think. You did it, right? Lived on the fringes and were content.”

“I didn’t have a mate, dude. But knowing Cas is out there and not being with him? Fuck, Gabe, don’t do this. Don’t disappear on him. Just tell him. Sit him down and talk about it. There’s other options. I mean, I ain’t no expert, but there’s surrogates and there’s adoptions and there’s ways to have a family even if you can’t do it this way.”

“That’s not what we wanted.”

“But it sure as hell beats killing yourself. Or mourning for a mate who isn’t dead!”

“Dean-o.”

“No, you wanted my opinion and that’s my opinion. Tell him. If you have to, do it today. Here. Where I can kick you if you chicken out. Where you got a safe place to fall back on if he reacts like a douche. But just fucking tell him.”

Gabe nods slowly and Dean has the impression that this is exactly what Gabe wanted from him. To shake him into moving where the news had paralyzed him.

“It’s just that,” and suddenly Gabe’s voice sounds frightened. “I’ve tried so fucking hard. Tried to be everything I could be for him. But I know I’m not… I’m not the innocent doe-eyed Omega an Alpha wants. I’m not pliant. I can’t even pretend to be meek. But I’ve somehow tricked him into seeing something in me anyway. So what if this is the final straw that makes him see that it’s all an illusion? That I’m not worth all the effort he invests in me. That I’m just as broken as that piece of paper says.”

Dean shakes his head. “But you aren’t. I mean, do you even notice? How you have the Alphas purring and wrapped around your little finger in no time at all? It’s impressive, man. And Bal? He’s jealous as all fuck and it’s annoying as hell, but it’s because he loves you. Don’t you see that? You mean enough to him that he’s rather dealing with whatever pent up Alpha shit he’s got going on than having you miss out on reuniting with your brother. If that’s not love, I don’t know.”

“You’re aware that basically you’re saying he’s doing shit to make me happy while he is unhappy, right?”

Dean groans in frustration. “No, I’m saying that making you happy makes him happy. And he’s ready to do a terrible lot for you. Like you are ready to do a terrible lot for him. Just tell him, man. You don’t have to make this decision for the both of you. Work it out with him.”

“With him…” It doesn’t sound convinced but at least it doesn’t sound like Gabe is considering suicide anymore.

“Yeah. You’re in this together. So work through it together. And trust me, Gabe, you would make a horrible hermit.”

Gabriel doesn’t answer, so they sit in silence for a while.

“What about you?” Gabe finally asks. “Have you had the talk yet? About pups?”

Dean shrugs. “In generalized terms. I pretty much raised Sammy, so I know I’m okay with kids. Cas is – somewhat more scared, I guess. He doesn’t want them to turn out like Michael or Lucifer.”

Gabe snorts. “Right, like that’s going to happen with the two of you raising them.”

“That’s what I keep telling him.” Dean sighs. “It’s a moot point for now anyway. Been on suppressants pretty much all my life. We’ve talked about it, how it’s healthier to get off of them, especially if we do want pups eventually, but the Doc said there’s no way to predict how fast the heat’s going to come back. Can be tomorrow, can be in a year.”

“Still. The question stands. What are you going to do when your heat hits?”

“Guess I should talk to Cas about that before it actually happens, huh?” Dean huffs in the sudden realization that in the moment it will most likely be too late for that talk.

Gabriel laughs, though the sound is almost painful. “Yeah, Dean-o, might be better. If you don’t have supplies ready, you’ve pretty much made your decision already.”

Dean gives Gabe a little half-smile. “I’d be okay with that, actually.”

“So you want kids?” Gabe asks.

“Never really thought much about it before Cas. Never thought much about what I wanted at all before him. But he asked me. What my dreams were, what I wanted from life, and yeah, it kind of got me thinking.”

Gabe just raises his eyebrows at him and Dean swallows hard. He hasn’t talked about this. Not with anyone. Not even Cas.

“I’m still working at the garage for now. Just cause, you know, I’m good with cars and I feel like a useless damsel when I sit around at the house all day. Need to do something. But – it’s weird. Not so much with Bobby and Garth, they’re okay with this. But with the customers. They used to ignore me when I was an outsider. Or shout at me when their cars didn’t work. But now I’m their Alpha’s mate and they have no idea what to do with that. They want to ignore me because I make them uncomfortable. But that’s rude, so they try to make conversation and it’s – it’s just weird, man. I try to work in the back of the garage but it’s exhausting. So I thought…” He’s blushing furiously now, he knows, “My GED is actually kind of okay, considering the circumstances. There’s online college classes for Omegas. I could like, work towards a degree that’s useful for the pack. And since it’s online, it would be okay to have a family while doing that.”

Gabe looks at him for a long time. Then he smiles. “I like that plan, Dean-o. Have you told Cassie yet?”

“No,” Dean shakes his head. “It hasn’t come up. It’s not that important anyway. It’s just like – a thing that I was thinking about.”

“I disagree. It is important,” Gabriel says firmly and then sighs. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll tell Bal if you tell Cassie.”

Dean looks at him with raised eyebrows but Gabriel seems serious. So he nods. “Want ruin the mood before lunch or after?” he asks.

“Between Bal and Cassie bitching at each other and us trying to be on our best behavior, there won’t be that much mood to ruin,” Gabe says drily. “So, after lunch but before dessert. That way, you have time to search for me if I chicken out and run.”

“Yeah, because it’s me who’s going to catch you if you run from your Alpha. Brilliant plan, man.”

Gabe chuckles. “Well, I guess in that case, dessert will be liquid.”

“Gabriel!” Dean groans.

“Hey, you started it.”

But the fact that they’re back to teasing and inappropriate jokes makes Dean feel better. He still makes a mental note to check up on Gabe at least every other day for the next few weeks until this has settled.

“What do you say? Ready to face the family?” Dean asks Gabe.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not unless you want to start your life as a hermit right now.”

“In a forest? Good God, Dean-o, I’m a city Omega! I’ll be eaten by a bear in no time.”

Dean rolls his eyes and gets up. He’s pretty sure Gabe is a tough choice to chew on for any bear. Not that there are any bears in these parts, but hey.

 

Gabe gets increasingly jittery the closer they get to the house.

“You okay, man?”

“Yeah,” Gabe nods but his fingers drum a steady beat on the dashboard. “It’s just that the last time I saw that house, it was 2am and I was running.”

“What made you run finally?” Dean asks curiously.

Gabriel flinches and his fingers still. Then he says very softly. “He wanted to sell me off. Michael. Said I was a liability as long as I was unmated. He was collecting offers and looking for the highest bid.”

There’s nothing to say to that so Dean doesn’t.

“Michael is very charming and persuasive when he wants to be. But with me, he never needed to be. He told me plainly that I’d either go along or he’d lock me up until the deal was done. So I pretended to go along and ran when I had the chance.”

“Yeah. I’d have done the same thing,” Dean nods. Cause selling yourself sucks but being sold is worse, whether it’s under the guise of tradition or not. “We’re here.”

Bal’s hybrid is already parked in front of the main entrance and Dean parks the Impala next to it. Gabe’s eyes are wide as saucers as he takes in the house.

“Want me to get Bal?” Dean asks. Because pride be damned, it’s easier to cling to someone.

“No. No, I can do it.” Gabriel gets out of the car and looks around dazedly. “Cassie didn’t change the layout much.”

“Not outside, no. He changed stuff inside. Converted a stretch of rooms to an infirmary. Modernized the place. Made it more open and accessible. At least that’s what it looks like when you compare it to the old photos.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Cassie…” Gabriel is turning on his heel, taking in every direction, while they are slowly making their way to the front door.

They have barely made it more than a few steps inside, though, when Gabe freezes. His scent is suddenly panicked. Dean’s heartrate immediately spikes, too, natural pack instincts winning out against the comforts of the familiar surroundings. There’s nothing out of place in how the house smells, though, so he swivels around, looking for the danger.

And ends up looking at Hannah, who also seems frozen in place. Dean isn’t sure whether her stance is aggressive or defensive but he takes a step in front of Gabe anyway. She knows who Gabriel is and she must have known he was coming by today, right? So there’s no reason to be aggressive.

They stay suspended in the tension for a few moments, until two sets of feet come running down the hallway.

“What’s wrong?” Bal bellows. He doesn’t take more than a second to appraise the situation before pushing Dean out of the way and positioning himself in front of Gabriel. “What the fuck happened?”

Cas is only a step or two behind him. He snarls at Bal when Bal pushes Dean, but Dean just stumbles forward and gets out of the way, removing himself to the side of the room and out of anyone’s reach.

As soon as he sees that Dean is safe, Cas stops to assess the rest of the situation. His eyes lighten in recognition of the problem. “Hannah, make yourself scarce, please. Stay in the offices or take the day off.” When she doesn’t immediately move, he adds a growled, “Now!”

That finally is enough to snap Hannah out of it. She mumbles “sorry” and retreats backwards until she’s out of sight.

Cas sighs and turns to Gabe. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. I thought you knew. She helped me fight Michael. So she got to stay.” And to Bal he says, “Hannah was Michael’s assistant. She ran most of his operations.”

It isn’t said but Dean guesses what that means. Michael wants to marry his Omega brother off, Hannah actually sends out the letters that ask for the highest bid. No wonder Gabriel freaked.

Bal is still snarling and he’s staring a whole into the wall behind which Hannah disappeared.

“I’m sorry,” Cas repeats. “I should have made sure she wasn’t around today. She won’t bother you again. But she is my assistant now and has been for years. I’d appreciate it if you stopped thinking about violence towards her.” There is a bit of a bite to his voice, enough that Bal turns and directs his glare at Cas.

Cas doesn’t bare his teeth but his eyes flit to Dean and he changes his stance like he wants to make sure that if need be he could be faster than Bal.

Dean’s body reacts on autopilot and he’s halfway across the room to get behind Cas before he even notices what he’s doing. But even when he notices he keeps going, because instinct tells him that he’d rather be behind Cas and not run the risk of Bal trying to use his presence against Cas, come a fight. That would inevitably lead to more violence.

“Am I interrupting something?” comes a bright voice from the front door.

And either Sam has outstandingly good or extremely bad timing because just like that all attention is on the intruding Alpha. Bal stretches out a hand behind himself to move Gabe so that he’s shielded from both Cas and Sam. Cas doesn’t reposition himself but he eyes the constellation warily.

“Hey,” Sam says and holds his hands up placatingly. “I thought we were going to have lunch together. But if you rather want to fight in the hallway, I’ll get out of your way.” He turns to Balthazar and Gabriel, palms still turned outward. “I’m Sam by the way, Dean’s brother. I don’t intend anyone harm.”

There’s a moment of tense silence but then Gabriel exclaims, “Dean said you were a hippie, but he never told me that you have great hair!”

Dean can’t help it, as volatile as the situation is, he starts laughing. “God, Gabe, don’t encourage him. I’ve tried to get him to cut his hair for a year now.”

“And I won’t because I have great hair,” Sam says smugly. “Glad that you noticed.”

Dean rolls his eyes and uses the opportunity to move to Cas’ side. He doesn’t take his hand, because as long as there’s the slightest chance of a fight Cas will want to stay mobile, but he runs his fingers down Cas’ spine soothingly while calling out to Gabriel. “Gabe, do you think you’re better now? If so could you calm your mate down, please? We have that infirmary but it would be a rather depressing end for this visit.”

He gets a growl for his insolence from Bal that has Cas tensing up all over again, but Gabe steps forward and just inserts himself under Bal’s arm to snuggle up to him.

“Dean’s right, that would be depressing. And there’s enough depressing going on already so I’m against adding to it.” Gabe’s scent is calming down minutely, and Balthazar presses him close to his side. He still keeps his eyes alternately on Cas and Sam, but his fighting stance slackens.

Dean nods relieved. That had been a bit more stressful than he’d expected. “Cas?” he nudges his mate after another moment of silence has passed. Because Cas is still the host and the highest ranking Alpha and he’s the one who has to resolve this situation.

“Oh. Oh yes. Of course. We should go eat. Unless you want to see the house first, Gabriel?”

“I think I’m good. I’ve had my fill of surprises. Maybe later.”

“Okay. In that case, please follow me.”

Dean pats Sam on the shoulder when he passes him. “Nice timing, bro.”

Sam chuckles. “Is it just me or are they being blockheads?”

Bal huffs indignantly but Cas turns to him with a half-smile, adrenaline already back under control. “You’ll get it someday, Sam. When you have a mate. Terrified mate is not a scent you can just ignore. Doesn’t matter how civilized you are.”

“I was not even suggesting to ignore it. Just to resolve it without violence.”

“As I said, you’ll get it someday, Sam.”

Having been told the same thing twice, Sam just nods. He discusses plenty with Cas, but he rarely argues. Dean’s glad for it. It’s a precarious situation as is. Cas hasn’t made any efforts to assume power over Sam, leaving all decisions regarding his future squarely to Sam and Dean unless he is asked his opinion. Of course it hasn’t taken long before he they started asking his opinion on pretty much every decision. Especially, when it concerns things like applications to Alpha colleges, that neither Dean nor Sam have the slightest idea about. Cas doesn’t seem bothered by it, either, like it could have been expected maybe. Alphas as a rule don’t like adopting their mates’ kids. Even less when they turn out to be Alphas themselves. Now Sam isn’t Dean’s kid, but the situation is not that dissimilar. And still, Cas seems happy to be included into their little family unit. Dean puts it down as another item on the ‘best mate ever’ list.

 

Lunch is more brunch, with a variety of foods piled onto the kitchen counter in a sort of impromptu buffet.

Dean is mostly quiet, just observing the interactions between the others.

He shouldn’t be but it looks like Sam is a stabilizing presence. He’s joking with Gabe, but he’s too young for Bal to get jealous about it. He’s discussing career choices and law specialties with both Bal and Cas, giving them a common topic that is not Gabriel for the first time. And he is engaging and friendly and about the most non-threatening puppy in the world. If any of that charm translates to the court room when he’s got his law degree, he’ll win all his cases just because people like him so much.

When Dean sidles over to the buffet for a second serving, Charlie is just coming in to get her lunch. She eyes Balthazar and Gabriel curiously but keeps her distance. “How’s it going?”

“Better now,” Dean nods while heaping more potatoes onto his plate.

“Yeah, you’ve got a mixture of hormones explosive enough for a riot in here,” Charlie says with a sniff. “Pretty brave if you ask me, getting that many Alphas and Omegas together without a few levelheaded Betas to run interference.”

Dean smirks. “You want to stay, huh?”

Charlie looks back at the table. “Nah.”

“Uh-huh,” Dean teases. “I believe that immediately. Because you’re not curious at all.”

“You’re going to tell me all the details later anyway,” Charlie smirks. She smacks a helping of tomato salad on top of everything else on her plate and nods satisfied. “There. That should suffice. See you later, Dean. Peace out, bitches.”

She is gone before Cas can chastise her for being inappropriate.

“Now _that_ would never have happened under Michael,” Gabriel remarks. “At least not without serious repercussions.”

“Yeah,” Cas sighs. “I’m pretty sure it’s not the only thing that wouldn’t have happened under Michael.”

“Let me see,” Gabriel ponders. “You marrying Dean wouldn’t have happened. Me being here wouldn’t have happened. Bal being welcome most definitely wouldn’t have happened. Let’s not even start with Sam. We’ve already covered the ‘cheeky Betas’ thing. Oh, non-family members taking food from the family’s kitchen, uh oh, also a big Nono…”

“Yeah, okay, pretty much my whole household wouldn’t have happened. I’m aware,” Cas rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, _you_ are. I’m kind of listing this for Bal, though. Then maybe he won’t try to bite your head off again.”

Dean ponders Gabe’s expression. He really hopes that Gabe is not planning to send Bal packing and stay here. Because Bal will very much not understand that Gabriel’s trying to protect him.

“I’m not _trying_ to bite anyone’s head off.”

The implication of course being that if he wanted to, he’d just bite. Great. Dean rubs his face. All of this is giving him a headache. “We’ve got a study. It’s like a small library and it’s private and quiet and you can lock it.” He looks at Gabe. “Is that about what you need?”

Gabriel blanches and immediately smells stressed, but he knows what Dean is getting at and he doesn’t try to weasel his way out. “Yeah, the study will suffice. I know where it is.”

“What is wrong?” Bal asks, Alpha stress level rising, scent turning acrid fast.

Gabe shakes his head ‘no’ quickly. “Let me show you the study, please. Cassie, by your leave?”

Cas looks at his brother intently and then over to Dean, obviously expecting some sort of explanation as to what is happening. Dean looks back at Gabe, who seems pale but determined. Pretty much how Dean feels about this, too. “Just let them go, Cas. Please.”

Cas’ eyebrows rise higher, confusion at Dean’s subdued tone mingling with the confusion about the situation, but he nods. “You know your way around, Gabriel. If you get lost, just asks someone to accompany you back here.”

“Thank you,” Gabe mumbles.

He has slipped his hand into his pocket. Clutching the letter, Dean is sure.

“Bal, please?”

There’s something in Gabe’s tone that changes Bal’s scent from acrid to overwhelmingly worried and he follows his mate out without another word.

“Dean?” Cas turns back to him with a frown, tangy smell of worry very clear on him, too.

Dean fidgets uncomfortably, locking his eyes to his plate instead of looking at Cas. He isn’t sure how much of this Gabe would want him to share. Also, he’s promised Gabe not to be a coward and talk to Cas about his own plans for the future. But of course now he isn’t sure he should. They have a good thing going. He’s happy. He doesn’t need more. More means changing things and that means things can go wrong.

Cas’ voice is softer when he asks, “Do you know what this is about?”

Dean nods without looking up.

“Do I need to know about it?”

And that’s Cas’ way of saying that he won’t pry as long as Dean can confirm that the matter is private and doesn’t affect him. Problem is, Dean can’t really confirm that. Not after what Gabe told him in the forest. “I don’t know. It depends on the outcome,” he says unwillingly.

There is a moment of silence.

“Sam, can you leave us alone, please?”

“Yeah, sure,” Sam says hesitantly. He doesn’t smell all too happy and Dean can feel his eyes on him. He refuses to look up, though. Sam doesn’t need to hear this and he’ll take any attempt at interaction by Dean as a request to stay and protect him in case he makes his Alpha angry. He doesn’t need that, either.

The door closes behind Sam, and Cas sighs. “Dean, I’m sorry, you know I normally wouldn’t, but if you say it depends on the outcome, that means that I _should_ know about it. So please tell me what’s going on.”

He’s not crowding into Dean’s space, not even touching him. It’s meant well, Dean knows. He doesn’t play the authority card, and Dean’s grateful. But there’s no easy way to say this and Dean could use a little help. He sighs and scratches his neck. It’s one of those moments where he’d voluntarily sit at Cas’ feet, just to have him run his fingers through Dean’s hair and hold him close. Makes things easier every time.

“Can we… our room?” Dean asks.

The scent of worry from Cas gets stronger. “Of course.”

He offers Dean his hand and they make their way to the bedroom.

“Bed?” Cas asks.

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

Cas climbs on the bed first, holding his arms out to cushion Dean against his side.

“Better?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Dean nods and buries his face in Cas’ shirt for a moment. Then he takes a deep breath. He’s got to get this over with somehow. “So there’s two parts. One is about Gabe. And one is about me.”

“Okay,” Cas says cautiously.

“Gabe is…” But Dean has no idea how to explain this to Cas so that it will make sense to him. That it won’t trigger his protective Alpha instincts. Especially since Bal and he don’t get along well. He guesses just starting somewhere will have to suffice. “I don’t know whether you knew that but Gabe and Bal were trying for pups. Turns out, they’ve got next to no chance. Gabe just found out. He’s pretty upset about it. Talked a lot about how Bal would be better off without him. Asked me whether I think you’d take him in.”

And from the utter confusion in Cas’ scent, yeah, this is going to need more explanation. “But he can’t. They’re mates! True mates I think.”

“Yes, they are,” Dean nods. “Which is why he loves Bal enough to want him to have everything. Even if that means it’s without him.”

Instinctively, Cas cradles Dean closer. “That’s stupid logic. It doesn’t make sense. Everything means nothing without your mate.”

Dean pats Cas’ arm. “I’m pretty sure Bal is going to tell Gabe the exact same thing. In which case we’ll have a severely unhappy couple who’re going to leave this afternoon as planned and me telling you this has done nothing but worry you. But if – if Gabe brings the thing about staying here up with any measure of intent behind it… I’m not sure how Bal’s going to react. Not good I wager. That’s why, you know, I thought you should know.”

Cas’ hands still around Dean as he mulls this over. “I really hope he doesn’t. That would get me into a very awkward position. I’d have to ask Ellen how to proceed.”

“Ellen?” Dean asks surprised.

“Ellen,” Cas nods. “I have no idea about the law involved in this.”

“The law?” Dean asks and feels a bit like a broken record, just repeating Cas’ words.

“Dean,” Cas sounds pained when he goes on, “please understand. I want to help Gabriel to whatever end he wants to achieve in his life. But it’s complicated. As his brother, I have no authority to keep him from his mate. Unless his life is in immediate danger, I have to deliver him back to Bal when he asks for him. There is of course the matter that Gabriel is still pack and Balthazar is not. But I don’t know how that changes the situation. I’d have to ask Ellen.”

“Wow,” Dean says because he hasn’t thought about the legal implications of this at all. Though apparently Gabe has, because he has only asked whether they’d take him in if he managed to keep Bal from wanting him back. Dean rather doesn’t want to think about how Gabe is planning to achieve that.

“It’s unfortunately very much the state of the world, Dean. I’m sorry. If Balthazar doesn’t agree to a separation, then my hands are tied.”

“So are Gabriel’s,” Dean realizes with a start.

“Unless Balthazar abuses him or threatens his life, yes. He has to agree.”

“Fuck,” Dean straightens away from Cas to sit up. “That’s fucked up.”

“Again, maybe the fact that I’m his pack Alpha might give me some leverage to help. It is quite possible.”

“Yeah, the fact that you’re his pack-Alpha,” Dean repeats tonelessly.

“Dean?” Cas sits up, too, suddenly alert that something is wrong.

“You’re my pack-Alpha.”

“Oh,” Cas whispers when he gets it.

“Don’t get me wrong, Cas, I read that contract. I knew that I was signing my life over to you, but…”

“But?” Cas asks silently.

Dean tries to get some sort of expression into his voice that sounds different than utterly spooked, but he fails. “Never really felt it before just now.”

Cas lets out a quiet gasp, like the air has been punched out of him, and when he talks again there is a quiver in his voice. “I promise you I’ll let you go. If it ever comes to that, if that’s the only thing left that you need from me, I’ll let you go.”

Dean nods, because yeah, he believes Cas has good intentions, but that doesn’t mean that this is any less fucked up, so he doesn’t say anything.

“That’s all I can do, Dean. We could have Ellen put it in writing but it wouldn’t matter. Any court would throw it out if I contested it later. You’d have to trust me either way.”

“What about the other way round?” Dean forces himself to ask even though he isn’t sure he wants a confirmation of his fears. “What if you want to get rid of me? You don’t need my permission.”

“I won’t. You’re my mate.”

“What if it turns out I can’t give you a family? What then, Cas? What if I can’t give you an heir for your pack?”

“Then I’ll give the pack to Sam.”

The words are even and matter-of-fact, but the force with which they hit him almost knock Dean off the bed. “You’d do what?” he sputters.

“You heard me, Dean,” Cas says and suddenly his voice is all Alpha. “I can’t leave my succession to chance. Not after what happened with Michael and Lucifer. So I make contingency plans. I have already updated my will. Sam is stated as my successor in case of my sudden death. It is a little trickier since he’s not my blood relation but I’m fairly certain that he could hold his position with the help of the pack. Should it turn out that you and I will not be able to have children, I’d make the effort to formally adopt him. I would have to find your father and get his agreement for that, though, so I do not think you’d want me to undertake this lightly.”

“You got to be kidding me.”

“I assure you, I am not.”

“And you didn’t think about telling me this?”

“I’m telling you now that you’ve asked. I do not actually intend to die anytime soon. Also, I would like to request of you not to tell this to your brother. I believe he has the potential to be a good leader, but I also think he deserves to grow up without this responsibility for a while longer. Especially since it might never come to pass.”

For once, Dean is left speechless.

“I know that you do not like lying to your brother. But I doubt that this topic will come up on its own. So technically, it’s not lying, just omitting.”

“No, Cas, that’s not it.” But Dean’s head is still reeling, and he doesn’t even know what he feels, let alone can find words for it. “I – I mean, of course. Whatever you want, Alpha.”

Dean doesn’t even register what he’s said, until Cas’ sharp intake of breath alerts him to it. His response had been to the Alpha tone instead of to his mate. And he still responds to that because his immediate instinct is to cower. To show the Alpha that he knows he’s displeased him and ‘please don’t hurt me’. But his second impulse is the exact opposite, to sit up straight and to show Cas that he had indeed not meant it. Because Cas is not just some random Alpha to submit to.

For a moment, the two are warring and Dean sits frozen. Then _mate_ wins out over _Alpha_.

“Sorry, Cas,” he looks up and looks at him. “I didn’t mean it.”

“Yes, you did.” But Cas’ voice is small and it is his own again, not his Alpha voice.

“Okay, yeah, I did. For a second. I just – that’s kind of big, Cas. I wish you had talked to me about it.”

“You don’t approve?” Cas asks.

“No, no, Cas, I… I mean obviously I hope it never comes to pass but if it does, yeah, I guess Sammy is…” But the words won’t come.

“Sam would take good care of the pack. And of you.”

And on one level Dean understands that that’s good because there are very few best case scenarios for the Omega mates of pack-Alphas if the successors aren’t their children but, “There, Cas, see, that’s it. You’re making contingency plans for when you’re not here anymore. For when you’re not here and I still am. That’s my future you’re talking about. I want to be included in that.”

It’s like a lightbulb goes on. “You’re right. I didn’t even realize… Of course you’re right. I’m sorry. It _is_ your future. I should have asked you about it,” Cas stutters an apology.

Dean takes a deep breath, the trembling that he hadn’t even been aware of subsiding. “Thanks, Cas,” he answers with an exhausted smile.

Cas shakes his head fervently. “Don’t thank me. I fucked up.”

“But you’re trying to make it right.” Cause that’s a good thing.

“And you told me!” Suddenly Cas’ smell changes to pure honey and chocolate. “I fucked up and you told me, Dean!” He lights up like Dean’s given him the best Christmas present in the world.

Bombarded with the smell of _happy_ and the realization that, hey, yes, he had actually stood his ground against Cas, Dean starts smiling, too, and the next thing he knows he’s getting tackled by an Alpha. He doesn’t even make an attempt at keeping his balance, just gives a quiet ‘uff’ when Cas full weight lands on him as they crash into the bed. But before Cas can have second thoughts, he wraps his arms around his neck and draws him down for a kiss.

They kiss for a long time, somewhat out-of-breath and laughing over their crash landing at first, then slower and deeper. There’s an acknowledgement in the kiss that who they are is not the same as who they are supposed to be to fill the roles society has given them. And there’s also the promise that who they really are will always be the more important measure. It makes Dean happy.

“Love you, Cas,” he mumbles against his mate’s lips.

“I love you, too, Dean.”

 

Finally, they end up side by side, legs tangled together, torsos close.

“There was a second part,” Cas whispers against Dean’s skin. “A second part about you. I don’t think we ever got to that.”

“Oh.” And maybe it’s not the right time, not after all the other shit. But then, maybe it’s the perfect time. So he leans his forehead against Cas’, closes his eyes and says, “I am thinking about quitting my job. People are uncomfortable having their cars repaired by their Alpha’s mate. There’s online college classes. I thought I could look for something that would be helpful for the pack.”

He can feel Cas’ smile more than he can see it. “That’s a wonderful idea, Dean.”

“There’s a second part to the second part.”

“Hmm?”

“I was thinking, since it’s online classes and I’d be at home anyway…” Dean swallows around the nervous lump in his throat. “I’d be okay if, you know, we just took our chances when it comes to heat? Try it out whether we have to put our money on Sam as the next pack leader?”

Cas straightens away from him to search his eyes. “Dean… Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Dean nods. “If you’re up for it, I’m game.”

“But you just said you were scared that if it didn’t work…”

“Yeah, Cas,” Dean interrupts him. “That’s the thing about me. I only run if I don’t want the thing that I’m scared of. This I want. I want a family with you. And if it doesn’t,” he turns his head away for a second to catch his breath and keep his voice steady, but he looks back at Cas when he goes on, “if it doesn’t work, you decide what to do with me then. There’s no use worrying about it now.”

“No, Dean,” Cas shakes his head. “You got that wrong. There is no use worrying about it. Period. I don’t have to decide what to do with you. I know what to do with you.” His eyes go soft, even though their blue stays intense. He cups Dean’s face and runs his fingers over the stubble. “And that’s to love you in every way that I know how to love and hope that you’ll always love me in return.”

 

They’re holding hands when they go back to the kitchen. Actually, Dean thinks Cas might never let go of his hand again. Which he would totally be okay with, up until the moment when he needs to take a leak. Yeah. He’d rather be on his own for that.

But all jokes leave his mind when Balthazar and Gabriel are waiting for them already. They’re both pale. Gabe’s sitting on one of the chairs, Bal standing behind him, one hand on his shoulder. Dean can’t decide whether it’s a dominant gesture to keep Gabe under control, or whether it’s supposed to be calming and reassuring.

Cas holds Dean’s hand like a vise, keeping him from moving forward towards Gabe, as he assesses the situation from their side of the room. “I’m guessing there is no chance to speak to my brother alone?”

“No.”

The single harsh word from Bal is enough to make Dean flinch, but Cas doesn’t react.

“I expected as much. Dean has told me the outline of what is going on. I offer my condolences for your situation.”

“It is not necessary. But thank you,” Bal says politely, though not necessarily friendly.

“Can _I_ talk to him?” Dean asks. “Please. You can stay in the room. I just – please.”

It’s out of line but Gabe is too quiet and too meek looking and Balthazar is basically towering over him. And Dean can’t let him go home with Bal like this. He needs to know Gabe is okay.

For a moment, it looks like Bal is going to refuse. But then he steps away from Gabriel and beckons Dean to come closer. It takes another moment and a pleading look before Cas lets go of his hand, but then it’s just three steps to cross the space to Gabe. He doesn’t draw him into hug, they aren’t the hugging type, but he sinks down to the ground next to him and gets close into his space. Partly it’s a gesture of comfort, huddling together, partly it’s so he can talk low enough that the Alphas won’t overhear every word.

“You okay?” When Gabe doesn’t look up even at him, he grabs his arm after all. “Gabe, man.”

“It’s alright, Dean-o. I’m alright. Just exhausted is all. Want to go home.”

“So you’re going home with him?” Dean asks to be sure.

“Yeah,” Gabriel nods.

“You call me, you understand? If anything happens, if you need anything, you call me. If you have weird ideas,” he lowers his voice even more, “especially of the kind that involve knives or rope, you fucking call me, understand? I‘m gonna help. Don’t care about what can be done legally or not. I‘m gonna help.” He shakes Gabe’s arm for emphasis.

There’s a growl then, closer than he expected, and he lets go immediately, holding his hands up to show he isn’t touching anymore.

“That’s quite enough I think,” Balthazar says sharply. “Gabriel?”

“Go, Dean. It’s okay. He’s in protective mode. He’s going to need a while to snap out of it. You can’t really talk to him before that.”

“I heard that,” Balthazar snaps.

“I’m aware, honey,” and for the first time Gabe’s voice has a bit of its normal bite back. “But you won’t move to give us privacy. Which should give you indication enough that what I said is true.”

Instead of answering, Balthazar just comes another step closer and Dean thinks that that might be his signal to get out of the way.

“Dean-o!” Gabe calls him back.

He turns where is he still half-crouched.

“You and Cassie? Did you tell him?”

“Yeah, I told him. We’re okay, Cas and I.”

“Good boy,” Gabe smirks or attempts to smirk at least.

“Shut up, Gabe,” but there’s no heat behind it.

They smile for a second and then Dean gets up to make his way back to Cas. The way is shorter than it had been and Cas is still scowling. Oh yeah, Bal had growled at him. Weirdly, Dean hadn’t even noticed all that much. Too concentrated on Gabe to be afraid, he guesses.

Cas’ hand finds his again and holds him fast, scent evening out as soon as Dean is by his side.

“We will not strain your hospitality any longer,” Balthazar says. “We will make our way home immediately.”

“You have not strained my hospitality,” Cas shakes his head. “I have enjoyed most of your stay here. Against the odds, I’ve sometimes even enjoyed your presence, Balthazar. I think over time, we could learn to tolerate each other. If not for our own sakes, then for Gabriel and Dean. You are welcome back, whenever you want and for however long you want.”

Balthazar grumbles something that they don’t understand but then he sighs. “And if your pack business ever brings you to the city, you are welcome to bring Dean and stay with us. There will be many cookies.”

It’s a weird thing to say but it makes Gabriel laugh. “Yeah, well, hazards of the online shop. Chocolate chip cookies are the customers’ favorite.”

Dean isn’t sure who of them breathes the biggest sigh of relief at Gabriel laughing, but suddenly the atmosphere in the room relaxes.

“Chocolate chip, huh? Your favorite was always macadamia nut when we were kids,” Cas smiles.

“You remember that?”

“Jeez, Gabriel, I was the youngest. It was my cookies that you stole,” Cas chuckles.

“Well, there is that, I guess,” Gabriel shrugs. “But hey, look at you, all lean muscles. You wouldn’t have wanted those extra calories anyway.”

Cas grins. “Don’t worry, I had stolen a key to the pantry. I got my fill.”

“You had a key to the pantry and you never told me?” Gabe looks flabbergasted.

“Hey, the moment I’d have told you, you’d have stolen it from me. And you’d have taken everything at once and we’d have gotten the hiding of our lives. Believe me, it was better this way.”

“You had a key to the pantry and you didn’t tell me…” Gabe looks downright betrayed. “That may be the worst thing that you’ve ever done to me.”

“That’s good,” Cas says. “That’s good if that is the worst thing I’ve ever done to you.”

“Oh Cassie,” Gabriel sighs. “Don’t go all serious on me. Not when I’m serious enough for all of us today. It’ll be a while before we see each other again. Let’s end this on a happy note.”

“We’ll not see each other for a while but you won’t disappear again, right? We _will_ see each other again?” Cas asks with a note of doubt laced into his voice.

Gabriel’s eyes flicker to Dean. Dean shakes his head. No, he hasn’t told Cas anything about Gabe’s ideas to flee and lose himself in the underworld of the city.

Gabriel half-smiles and then he shakes his head. “I won’t disappear, Cassie.” But he looks up at Bal when he adds, “I promise.”

And yeah, Dean thinks, Bal knows. But these two are true mates, too. They’ll work it out. Just like he and Cas will.

It makes him smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Since y’all are going to scream for pups anyway, tell me what you think: How will family planning go for Dean and Cas? Will a miracle pup happen for Balthazar and Gabriel? Will they need to find another way to have a family? Will everything be great or will something go horribly wrong? Opinions? Wishes?

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [We Get By](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8628850) by [Nikolaus_Chaser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikolaus_Chaser/pseuds/Nikolaus_Chaser)




End file.
